Latest news with #EllieSimmonds'
Edinburgh Live
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Strictly's Ellie Simmonds mum reveals heartbreaking reason she gave star up for adoption
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Simmonds' birth mum heartbreakingly reveals the reason for giving her up in a starkly honest phone conversation, admitting: "All I could see is your disability". In a profound moment set to be aired on an ITV documentary this Tuesday, the ex-Paralympic swim star finds the bravery to contact her biological mother, which leads to a poignant exchange. Ellie, now 30, was relinquished for adoption by her birth mother merely ten days after birth upon discovering that Ellie had achondroplasia, a genetic type of dwarfism. Ellie recounts how her birth mum was brusquely given a leaflet by a medical professional, detailing misconceptions that children with her condition were often thought to possess lower intelligence and typically ended up working at circuses. Their paths crossed again merely two years ago while Ellie was filming the documentary Finding My Secret Family; however, it took time for Ellie to feel prepared to discuss her adoption with her mother. As she embarks on a new intimate documentary journey, Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?, she delves into societal perceptions of raising children with disabilities and ponders over her own decision to have children. In a significant step, Ellie finds the strength to make the call, expressing: "I want to know what it was like for her to decide to put me up for adoption. For her it was 30-years-ago, but it's quite a sensitive, super emotional situation", reports the Mirror. (Image: AFP via Getty Images) Her birth mother, whose identity is concealed, told her: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right. "There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own. I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt. She said, 'There you go, that's what your baby is going to look like'. I remember thinking I can't cope with this. Maybe I wanted a magic wand. "All I could see was your disability. You can make excuses, but I really did struggle. I grieved the child that I thought you should have been. It was the biggest decision of my life. To give your biological child away... it was momentous. I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." She added: "I didn't ever forget you. I thought about you every day. When I saw you at the Beijing Paralympics, I thought 'That's my Ellie'. I've been a number one fan. I've watched everything you've done, I'm extremely proud. It's an amazing thing to have a child, there's no love like it. Forward 30 years and I realise what a fabulous woman you are. It's just that you were a bit shorter. You're a completely perfect person in every way." (Image: ITV GRAB) Visibly overwhelmed, Ellie remains mostly quiet and tearful as she takes in her birth mother's words. Eventually, Ellie responds with: "We don't want to blame anyone, decisions are decisions. You're amazing", eliciting the reply: "I don't know Ellie, I think sometimes it was quite cowardly to be honest." Reflecting on the conversation later, Ellie muses: "It seems that she held that guilt for a long time. That's really sad. We put a lot of pressure on the mum in society. It's amazing that she's so honest and open. I think people's fear of a disability is actually a fear of what's inside of them." In the documentary, Ellie engages with doctors, geneticists, and frontline counsellors, and also converses with parents who have grappled with difficult choices upon learning their unborn child has a disability, pondering what her own decision would be. Ellie contemplates: "Being a 30-year-old woman, this is the time people think about starting a family. It's different because I'm living with a disability so I know what it's like to be a disabled person. "If you find out you've got a disabled baby, do people think they can't actually cope with it?"Are they nervous? Do they want a picture perfect baby?" Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? is scheduled for Tuesday 27 May on ITV1 at 9pm.
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Heartbreaking moment Strictly star Ellie Simmons' birth mother reveals why she gave her up
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PARALYMPIAN and Strictly star Ellie Simmonds' mum reveals why she gave her up for adoption in an emotional new documentary. The athlete, 28, was put into care at two weeks old after being diagnosed with dwarfism, which cruel medics at the time said would lead to ridicule. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Elle Simmonds is returning to screens in another documentary looking at her family history Credit: ITV 4 Ellie was fostered at the age of three months She was then adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds when she was three months old. Ellie explored her childhood in 2003 documentary, Finding My Secret Family, and has now filmed a follow-up in which her biological mother speaks on camera for the first time. It comes as Ellie considers the impacts of starting her own family in Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? Her mum revisits her own birthing experience and those early days of motherhood in the mid 90s. She remains off camera but is heard saying: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right. "There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own. I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt." Her mum candidly explained that she couldn't cope and wanted a magic wand to resolve the situation. She struggled to look beyond Ellie's disability and said she "grieved" for the child she wanted her to be. "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." I couldn't keep up with the kids at school, now I'm an inspiring Paralympian – it's pinch-me moment, says Ellie Simmonds Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after Ellie read an old letter handwritten by her mum in which she said she wished she'd had an abortion or that Ellie had died. With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". Her mum also said that she had suffered a traumatic split from Ellie's birth father which seriously impacted her mental health. After the meeting, Ellie said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." Nervous Ellie told how she chose not to show her mum on screen due to fears over how she would be perceived. 4 Ellie took part in Strictly in 2022 Credit: PA 4 Ellie's foster parents Steve and Val Simmonds Credit: Business Live Despite tearful moments in both documentaries, Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Val and Steve Simmonds adopted four other children, some of which also had disabilities. The family home had an outdoor pool, which energetic Ellie loved. She said: 'I had a great childhood. We're a very close family.' Her parents were open about her biological family, showing pictures of her mum, dad and older sister. Ellie would fantasise about what they were like, 'a bit like Tracy Beaker'. At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB. Two years later she became the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, winning two golds. But a busy career meant she never hunted for her birth family. Ellie said: 'When I was younger I thought about my birth mum a lot. 'But from 2006, when I competed in my first World Championships, to when I retired, I never wanted to delve into that because I needed to be focused. 'When I retired, though, I lost my identity and was thinking, 'What should I do now? Who am I as a person?' I realised I now had time to find out who I am.'
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Heartbreaking moment Strictly star Ellie Simmons' birth mother reveals why she gave her up
PARALYMPIAN and Strictly star Ellie Simmonds' mum reveals why she gave her up for adoption in an emotional new documentary. The athlete, 28, was Advertisement 4 Elle Simmonds is returning to screens in another documentary looking at her family history Credit: ITV 4 Ellie was fostered at the age of three months She was then adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds when she was three months old. documentary , Finding My Secret Family, and has now filmed a follow-up in which her biological mother speaks on camera for the first time. It comes as Ellie considers the impacts of starting her own family in Her mum revisits her own birthing experience and those early days of motherhood in the mid 90s. Advertisement READ MORE ON ELLIE SIMMONDS She remains off camera but is heard saying: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right. "There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own. I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt." Her mum candidly explained that she couldn't cope and wanted a magic wand to resolve the situation. Advertisement Most read in Showbiz Breaking She struggled to look beyond Ellie's disability and said she "grieved" for the child she wanted her to be. "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." I couldn't keep up with the kids at school, now I'm an inspiring Paralympian – it's pinch-me moment, says Ellie Simmonds Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after Advertisement With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". Her mum also said that she had suffered a traumatic split from Ellie's birth father which seriously impacted her mental health . After the meeting, Ellie said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. Advertisement "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." Nervous Ellie told how she chose not to show her mum on screen due to fears over how she would be perceived. 4 Ellie took part in Strictly in 2022 Credit: PA 4 Ellie's foster parents Steve and Val Simmonds Credit: Business Live Advertisement Despite tearful moments in both documentaries, Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Advertisement The family home had an outdoor pool , which energetic Ellie loved. She said: 'I had a great childhood. We're a very close family.' Her parents were open about her biological family, showing pictures of her mum, dad and older sister. Ellie would fantasise about what they were like, 'a bit like Tracy Beaker'. At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB. Two years later she became the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, winning two golds. But a busy career meant she never hunted for her birth family. Advertisement Ellie said: 'When I was younger I thought about my birth mum a lot. 'But from 2006, when I competed in my first World Championships, to when I retired, I never wanted to delve into that because I needed to be focused. 'When I retired, though, I lost my identity and was thinking, 'What should I do now? Who am I as a person?' I realised I now had time to find out who I am.'
